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The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin Welcome to Potsdamer Platz
© Ritz Carlton
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The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
Potsdamer Platz 3
Berlin-Tiergarten
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The Beisheim Center at Potsdamer Platz rises imposingly into the steel-blue sky. For a moment it feels as if we are standing in front of one of the old Art Deco buildings at Central Park in New York. It's hot in Berlin. "Summer in the City!" The Ritz-Carlton is written in gold letters above the sophisticated entrance. A doorman welcomes us effusively. We dive into the recently renovated luxury hotel that will be our home for the next three days.
Sure, we've been here before, visited The Ritz-Carlton's bars more than once, The Curtain Club run by renowned bar tender Arnd Heißen and his Fragrances Bar, or dined in the former Brasserie Desbrosses. But now the lift carries us up to one of the comfortable club suites with access to "The Ritz-Carlton Club", where we are pampered with culinary amenities by our own concierge throughout the day.
The Golden Twenties run as inspiration through all the newly renovated rooms, including our spacious suite overlooking Potsdamer Platz. We take a look at everything: Hallway. Guest toilet. A small kitchen. The living room and workspace followed by the dining room with chairs for eight guests. The bedroom has a king-size bed. A walk-in wardrobe. The marble bathroom with separate shower and toilet; two steps lead up to the bathtub.
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We quickly stow our luggage. The holiday in Berlin can begin. We start with a glass of champagne in "The Ritz-Carlton Club", which is reserved exclusively for guests of the Club Suites. Sweet treats from Sachertorte to fresh fruit with hot chocolate coating for dipping await us at the elegant buffet. Coffee is served. We look over to the roof of the Sony Center and arrive.
The hub of The Ritz-Carlton is the impressive lobby with its sweeping marble staircase. The sparkle of the crystal chandeliers in the foyer is reminiscent of the flurry of flashbulbs during the Berlinale, when the celebrities take up residence here every year. A modern interpretation of Art Deco also creates an invitingly elegant ambience here. Ideal for tea time, which is served in the afternoon in the rear part of the foyer called "The Lounge".
For dinner, we are at the recently opened restaurant Pots, which we just reported on last week. Afterwards, we can't resist a nightcap in the Curtain Bar: We don't have far to go to bed. Wonderful! It really is like being on holiday: a luxurious pampering programme without having to travel far. "How sustainable," I think and look forward to jogging in the adjacent zoo the next morning.
Early in the day, you can also enjoy at The Ritz-Carlton what I always particularly enjoy during our stays in Berlin luxury hotels: the view of the city's hot spots, which are usually overrun with tourists. Here it's Potsdamer Platz. Empty of people and hardly a car on the street. The buildings, unusually high for Berlin, rise steeply.
The morning routine in the bathroom becomes an enjoyable ritual. Only breakfast is a reminder to hurry. We can choose to have it in the privacy of "The Ritz-Carlton Club" or in a much more lively atmosphere at Pots. We decide on the latter and enjoy freshly prepared egg dishes with classic side dishes from the buffet on the still shady terrace. It's going to be hot again.
Enthusiastically, our companion returns from the spa area later in the day: the 400-square-metre wellness area has made a real impression. And rightly so, as I later discover: the pool, Finnish sauna, steam bath and spacious relaxation area are probably among the most beautiful in the city. The pool has a jet stream function. Massages and cosmetic treatments are offered on request. The workout room with numerous state-of-the-art fitness machines is also something to behold.
Time flies and it is already time for dinner again. This time we use the room service of The Ritz-Carlton. Ceasar Sald with chicken breast and Wiener Schnitzel with French fries arrive on an elegantly laid table. The table is obligingly set in the dining room. We look down Stresemannstraße and enjoy. The room service is unusually good, we notice.
In the evening we take another walk through the Tiergarten, an ice cream cone in our hands. Just like on holiday. The city feels different when you're not just rushing through it as usual. "We'll do that again soon," my companion enthuses. "Absolutely," I reply.
Translated by Alexander Brandes
